Just to give you an idea at the very top private Melbourne metroplitan golf clubs memberships are anywhere from 3K-4K per year but may have 3K-10K entrance fee and perhaps waiting lists (probably about 25-30 in this category) while some of the less well know or less ideally located courses range down to maybe 1.5K per year (and some of these are semi public and may not all have joining fees) so it's not overly expensive to play in Melbourne considering you can play all year round down here.

To play as a member's guest at most places you are looking at maybe $30-$60 whilst fully public course fall into two categories local council run (reasonably cheap) or private/resort courses that really slug and there are more and more of these opening all over the place and no-one seems afraid to charge up to $100 which I'm afraid to say is well past my maximum.

Anyway ... I do know golfers who have been to the US and Europe and paid some big $ to play some of the more famous courses but there's got to be limit (doesn't there?) of how much a round is worth and apart from maybe Augusta and St Andrews which I'd probably dig deep for I would just as likely save my dough.

Croc, you raise a question we haven't tackled before. My limit is $250 for a course. Anything over that needs to on a bucket list, like Pebble Beach, as a lifetime opportunity. Over paying for someone's resort course nightmare, which is often the case, doesn't sit well with me. I've played many a wonderful venue for under $100, so why blow the bank?

Fees at what some would call "name" courses have really gotten out of hand. In Scotland you can play the Ailsa Course at Turnberry it is it about 180 pounds, you carry your own bag. No power cars! Caddies are about 60 pounds per loop plus tip. Royal Troon is much the same, 175 pounds but you must take a caddy at 55 pounds plus tip. If you are a quest of a member, it is 5 pounds, carry your own bag.

The US has become even worse. I remeber when Pebble was $150, now don't even ask! Forget about Augusta National, members and thier guests only, thank- you.

Here in New England we have a few places that are getting expensive. TPC-Boston can run to $175 depending on how you get your tee time. A few of the private clubs have guest fees well over $100.

the best bargain in golf I have found is in Scotland. The local council runs 9 courses and changes 500 pounds for an annual unlimited access ticket. Three very nice tracks and the rest are very playable. Great deal for the locals.

It's funny because I used to dream of playing every course at least once, but not so much anymore. . . for a few reasons. The one big factor is what's mentioned about how out of hand golf rounds have become here in the US. The other is my health- back issues (makes it not fun).

For me, oh, before I forget, put me down with you on being cheap, by the way, but I've learned to check out specials on ads if it falls on my golf day, some I run in to luck getting on some courses for little or nothing-- I am so cheap! (lol). But it's probably because of being at a club where I can play most my golf, and luckily posting this during my day job, keeps me from playing other courses often where I have to think about it.

Bucket lists are now tied in with which of my friends would be able to go with me type of condition-- only because I think it would mean more to have a game there with a friend, but if I have to, I probably would go out as a single. Or, which resort would my wife enjoy in case I'd like to play a few rounds. (forget UK area, she likes the tropics/water)

Not so often, but my guys would think of flying somewhere and playing for days and sometimes more than a round a day consecutively for as little as next to nothing - play your heart out - for a grand price of wearing a badge which is probably worth less than $10 at a thrift shoppe, is something that really mean most to me as far as paying for golf and competitive golf is concerned. (I've never had the pleasure of wearing the badge, but, I am hopeful.)

So I'm not sure what that number is, really. . . not much, that's for sure. (lol)

My everyday golf is pretty cheap. So I will spend some bucks traveling and playing golf IE Pebble Beach (glad I did) but I would not play there on an every day basis. I always hit Scottsdale during the off seasons when golf is more than reasonable and lots of quality courses.

It does help if you have a ton of Southwest points and a free companion pass. So I am always on the look out for a great deal at a nice destination.

I do plan on going to Scotland next year and hopefully play St Andrews. But I will not pay $500 bucks for a Vegas course or like Randy $250 for something which should be $75/$50

This is a real tough question. I think too many courses are so blown away with their own self importance. Very few really rate their green fee. I usually try for some packages to play some of the quote name courses. The only course left on my bucket list is Pebble Beach. Augusta will never happen so I don't waste time drooling. So $50-$100 for my regular play. I figure my club cost me about $50 a round, breaking the dues down.

Prime example of courses drinking their own Kool Aide are Torrey Pines and Harding Park, now residents get great deal, but if you're n out of towner hold onto your wallet! There's no way I'd pay +250 for TP, a 5:15 hour round, no thanks! With the crappy economy and diminishing amount of golfer, you'd think they'd leer prices!

My group has played top courses in Scotland (two trips) and Ireland. Each time we have gone in what is considered "off season" (early November and late March) and got great package prices for golf and hotels. Of course we packed thermals and rain suits but we had only one day out of three weeks that we couldn't play. It was worth the gamble on weather.

played TPC sawgrass - stadium course paying like $400, fun experience (only 1 in water at 17 and took a double) but there are deals available I found out later, a friend booked our tee time. Would love to play Pebble Beach just once. I think above $250 is probably more than most courses are worth. I think more and more of the courses at high end are charging so much and getting it as Corporate entertainment. Spring and fall rates at places like Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run can be quite attractive. And weather can be more links like.

It's always tough to get onto the 4th hole and say to yourself 'I can't believe I paid this much for this course.'

Golf in New England, north shore at least, is more expensive than it was in Colorado (although when I lived in the mountains it was very expensive if you were a tourist). In North Carolina I couldn't believe how inexpensive the courses were. I played a course that hosts a Champions Tour event for 40 bucks and people told me that was steep. I guess it's all relative. I've been big into reading reviews and trying to do some research before I play at any place with more than a $50 price tag.

Here in Mass there's a lot of courses that are in the 50 dollar (walking) fee range that just aren't worth it. There's several that are, but you have to do your research. I think I draw the line on a non "name" course around $100 bucks. I've paid more than that, but only for something special. I would shell out far more than that for some "bucket list" courses, but a good round at a course that isn't nationally recognized shouldn't cost more than a C note in my opinion.

Interesting points, I know many of you (myself included) like to travel and play new courses. I am very passionate about it and intend to play golf in every state as well as travel overseas. That being said: I spend a lot of time on the golf websites offering discounted tee times at courses for times that are not "ideal." For example: Played a course in Indiana couple of weeks ago (at a casino) that normally runs $110 dollars, a little pricey for a casual round (I prefer $40-$50), On EZlinks.com I found a tee time on a Sunday morning at 8:40 for $55 including cart. Me and my buddies drove up had a minor issue with tee time being later than we thought but overall had great expereince and saved $50. Many courses in the area are on Golfnow, Golf18.com, and EZlinks if you are willing to play at different times.

For me I like to keep my rounds between $50-$100, and would go up to $250 for a treat to play a special course. $500 dollars for Pebble Beach maybe something when I am retired but cant imagine paying $125 an hour to be on the course plus caddy fees.

Crocman touches on a subject near and dear to all golfers, regardless of economic circumstances, the price we pay to play. While I certainly find greens fees in the multi-hundreds breath taking, Pebble and Shadow Creek and other courses that charge these rates didn't pick the number out of thin air - Obviously, there is enough traffic at those rates to sustain those rates. The same logic applies to salaries of professional athletes in popular sports like baseball, basketball, and football.

While I wistfully look at the the good old days in the late 1970s and early 1980s when Pebble Beach greens fees were far, far, far less, it will take a collapse in the economy of epic proportions and a subsequent collapse in rounds played before that $500 prime time price tag shrinks to a lower level...

I watch the courses where I live (Cape Cod, MA - with an economy highly dependent upon tourism) shuttle through summer rates in excess of $100/round to post Labor Day prices in many cases half of that rate. And some private clubs will open their doors (and coffers) to mere hoi polloi keeping the cash flow flowing until the cold weather closes their course...

Me, I simply pick my places and times of year to play trying to balance once or twice in a lifetime opportunities with my own financial reality..I think that we likely all follow that prescription to one degree or another..